What is a Melaphone?

 

If you have ever worked in a laboratory or clean room, or visited a bank, you have likely noticed that many of the transparent barriers used to section off these places and provide protection to staff and visitors were fitted with transparent tubes which fit through the glass, which allowed people on one sided of the barrier to speak to those on the other side of the barrier without the use of complex electronic communication equipment.

These fittings are melaphones – a sort of clean room intercom system which does not rely on electronics or external power to function, and simply transmits the vibrational energy of a voice or sound across its membranes, effectively allowing the transmission of sound without allowing physical particles to transfer across the melaphone, and without relying on electricity or electrical components.

While this may seem like a small thing, it isn’t – there are hundreds of applications in which a melaphone is a crucial piece of equipment, providing the ability to communicate while maintaining a secure barrier to the movement of microbes, particles and human interference, vital in clean rooms, medical facilities and customer-facing roles.

What is a Melaphone?

A melaphone has a humble appearance that belies its importance in use – usually, a melaphone simply appears as a cylinder of tough, transparent plastic with a grille at both sides, and a metal frame which instructs the user to “Speak Here”. With a thin membrane enclosed within, vibrations from sound and speech are transmitted, but actual physical particles cannot transfer across, preventing any contamination in any context.

Strong polycarbonate guards form the grilles, protecting the membrane within from mechanical damage, and these can be fitted with mesh guards to aid in the protection offered.

How are Melaphones Made?

Melaphone is the UK’s premier producer and distributer of melaphones, and specialise in making bespoke melaphone solutions to suit your needs – whatever those needs may be! If you need a wireless intercom solution, Melaphone can help you. In addition to stock intercom systems and customisation options, unique, bespoke melaphones can be made specifically to your requirements, ensuring a perfect fit and perfect protection for your staff, visitors, environments or specimens!

What is a Melaphone Used For?

A melaphone is used as an intercom or communication point to link people on opposite sides of a glass barrier. As they prevent the transfer of particles and material, they are commonly used in clean rooms and medical facilities, in order to prevent the movement of particles and contaminants across the barrier. However, while a melaphone maintains the seal against the barrier, it does not compromise communication ability, transmitting voices easily and effectively.

A melaphone also helps to communicate across barriers erected for security reasons, like those in ticket kiosks and banks. In these circumstances, interaction with the public is vital, but it may be necessary to be protected against violence, abuse and robbery attempts. A melaphone maintains the protection offered to your staff without compromising the ability to speak to clients and customers, and is very resistant to physical damage and impacts – especially when fitted with a wire mesh guard.

How Can Melaphones Benefit My Business?

A melaphone can benefit your business whether you are in the financial sector, entertainment, scientific, medical and microbiological, or any other industry.

If your business need to provide a barrier between different areas, then communication across this barrier will be paramount – a customer-facing bank clerk can’t do their job well if their protective barrier essentially deafens them and prevents communication, after all!

With a melaphone, you can enjoy an effective, wireless intercom system which doesn’t rely on electricity or difficult-to-maintain electronic components. A melaphone has no moving parts and nothing which could wear down or degrade, making it the ideal option for areas which require high reliability, and significantly reducing the cost of the system. Melaphones are vastly less expensive than wired intercom systems, and involve almost no maintenance, compared to the much more pricey and delicate electronic intercoms.

With nothing to fail or break, a melaphone won’t cause any communications blackouts or technical difficulties, and it won’t need to be powered or maintained.

Why Invest in a Melaphone?

As mentioned above, a melaphone is a particularly cost-effective intercom solution for your business, and maintains the separation between areas divided by a glass barrier – such as between a clean room and an ordinary laboratory or room, or between the customer area in a bank and the secure area behind the counter.

Contact Melaphone Today for Communications Technology You Can Rely On!

If you are interested in melaphones, or you would like to know more about how this wireless intercom system can help your business, then you should get in touch with the experts at the Melaphone head office using our telephone number, 01359 233191, or by visiting our site, linked throughout this article! They’ll be happy to help you find the perfect clean room intercom or wireless intercom system for your needs, and ensure the perfect fit with your business and business requirements!